Pune: NCW fact-finding team initiates investigation into BPO employee murder case

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The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognizance of a recent case in Pune, where a woman working in a BPO company was allegedly hacked to death by her colleague over a money dispute, a press release said, reported news agency ANI.

The crime occurred in the parking lot of the company and despite the presence of several onlookers, none intervened to stop the attack, highlighting the growing phenomenon of the bystander effect.

In response to this shocking incident, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Vijaya Rahatkar, has constituted a fact-finding committee to thoroughly investigate the matter and recommend necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such crimes, the press release said, reported ANI.

The Fact-Finding Committee includes: Meenakshi Negi, Member Secretary, National Commission for Women; BK Sinha, former Director General of Police, Haryana and R Sreelekha, former Director General of Police, Kerala, reported ANI.

The fact-finding committee arrived in Pune on Tuesday and has started its investigation to uncover the facts.

Over the next two days, the committee will focus on examining how the incident occurred in broad daylight despite the presence of many people, interview the victim's friends and colleagues, and will visit the site of the incident to find any new insights. The committee will engage with associations representing IT and BPO employees as well, reported ANI.

The committee will also meet with the Commissioner of Police, District Authorities, the Investigation Officer, and other relevant authorities.

The committee will submit its findings and recommendations within 10 working days. The National Commission for Women will explore ways to prevent such incidents in the future, the press release said.

In another case, in December, a 54-year-old cook was arrested for allegedly killing two minor sisters, aged 9 and 8, after sexually assaulting them in Maharashtra's Pune, police said.

According to officials, the accused, who worked as a cook at a local hotel, was a neighbour of the victims and known to their family.

According to Pune Superintendent of Police (Rural) Pankaj Deshmukh, the girls were playing near their home when they went missing, prompting a search operation.

Later, the bodies of the girls were found inside a water drum near their house.

A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

(With inputs from ANI)